Congratulations!
You have just
purchased a TCO'95 approved and labelled product! Your choice has provided
you with a product developed for professional use. Your purchase has also
contributed to reducing the burden on the environment and also to the further
development of environmentally adapted electronics products.
Why do we have environmentally labeled computers?
In many
countries, environmental labeling has become an established method for
encouraging the adaptation of goods and services to the environment. The main
problem, as far as computers and other electronics equipment are concerned,
is that environmentally harmful substances are used both in the products and
during their manufacture. Since it is not so far possible to satisfactorily
recycle the majority of electronics equipment, most of these potentially
damaging substances sooner or later enter nature.
There are also
other characteristics of a computer, such as energy consumption levels, that
are important from the viewpoints of both the work (internal) and natural
(external) environments. Since all methods of electricity generation have a
negative effect on the environment (e.g. acidic and climate-influencing
emissions, radioactive waste), it is vital to save energy. Electronics
equipment in offices is often left running continuously and thereby consumes
a lot of energy.
What does labeling involve?
This product
meets the requirements for the TCO'95 scheme which provides for international
and environmental labeling of personal computers. The labeling scheme was
developed as a joint effort by the TCO (The Swedish Confederation of
Professional Employees), Svenska Naturskyddsforeningen (The Swedish Society
for Nature Conservation) and Statens Energimyndighet (The Swedish National
Energy Administration).
Approval
requirements cover a wide range of issues: environment, ergonomics,
usability, emission of electric and magnetic fields, energy consumption and
electrical and fire safety.
The
environmental demands impose restrictions on the presence and use of heavy
metals, brominated and chlorinated flame retardants, CFCs (freons) and
chlorinated solvents, among other things. The product must be prepared for
recycling and the manufacturer is obliged to have an environmental policy
which must be adhered to in each country where the company implements its
operational policy.
The energy
requirements include a demand that the computer and/or display, after a
certain period of inactivity, shall reduce its power consumption to a lower
level in one or more stages. The length of time to reactivate the computer
shall be reasonable for the user.
Labeled products
must meet strict environmental demands, for example, in respect of the
reduction of electric and magnetic fields, physical and visual ergonomics and
good usability.
Below you will
find a brief summary of the environmental requirements met by this product.
The complete environmental criteria document may be ordered from:
TCO Development
SE-114 94
Stockholm, Sweden
Fax: +46 8 782
92 07
Email
(Internet): development@tco.se
Current
information regarding TCO'95 approved and labelled products may also be
obtained via the
Internet, using the address: http://www.tco-info.com/
Environmental requirements
Flame retardants
Flame retardants
are present in printed circuit boards, cables, wires, casings and housings.
Their purpose is to prevent, or at least to delay the spread of fire. Up to
30% of the plastic in a computer casing can consist of flame retardant
substances. Most flame retardants contain bromine or chloride, and those
flame retardants are chemically related to another group of environmental
toxins, PCBs. Both the flame retardants containing bromine or chloride and
the PCBs are suspected of giving rise to severe health effects, including
reproductive damage in fish-eating birds and mammals, due to the
bio-accumulative* processes. Flame retardants have been found in
human blood and researchers fear that disturbances in foetus development may
occur.
The relevant
TCO'95 demand requires that plastic components weighing more than 25 grams
must not contain flame retardants with organically bound bromine or chlorine.
Flame retardants are allowed in the printed circuit boards since no
substitutes are available.
Cadmium**
Cadmium is
present in rechargeable batteries and in the colour-generating layers of
certain computer displays. Cadmium damages the nervous system and is toxic in
high doses. The relevant TCO'95 requirement states that batteries, the
colour-generating layers of display screens and the electrical or electronics
components must not contain any cadmium.
Mercury**
Mercury is
sometimes found in batteries, relays and switches. It damages the nervous
system and is toxic in high doses. The relevant TCO'95 requirement states
that batteries may not contain any mercury. It also demands that mercury is
not present in any of the electrical or electronics components associated
with the labelled unit.
CFCs
(freons)
The relevant
TCO'95 requirement states that neither CFCs nor HCFCs may be used during the
manufacture and assembly of the product. CFCs (freons) are sometimes used for
washing printed circuit boards. CFCs break down ozone and thereby damage the
ozone layer in the stratosphere, causing increased reception on earth of ultraviolet
light with e.g. increased risks of skin cancer (malignant melanoma) as a
consequence.
Lead**
Lead can be
found in picture tubes, display screens, solders and capacitors. Lead damages
the nervous system and in higher doses, causes lead poisoning. The relevant
TCO'99 requirement permits the inclusion of lead since no replacement has yet
been developed.
_____________________________
* Bio-accumulative is
defined as substances which accumulate within living organisms
** Lead, Cadmium and
Mercury are heavy metals which are Bio-accumulative.
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WARNING: This equipment has been tested and
found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part
15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection
against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment
generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed
and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to
radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not
occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful
interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by
turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the
interference by one or more of the following measures: 
CAUTION: Changes or
modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance
could void the user's authority to operate the equipment.
